A Seat
Dearest Friend,
Today is a very special day. A writer I believe you’re familiar with is releasing her new novel, Magnolia Isle. She’s spent years dreaming up the idea, months writing, and more days than she can count planning for this day, and it’s finally here.
It didn’t all go smoothly. It ebbed and flowed, spun fast, and wound to a grinding halt at different intervals along the way. I do believe there were more than a few “I should just give up” moments. And yet, the author persevered. Pushing herself through exhaustion, family responsibilities, and vulnerability to bring the words together on a page.
She actually wanted to let this day just slip by, if you can believe it. Then again, if you know her, it’s not terribly surprising. She doesn’t love fanfare where she’s concerned, and celebrating accomplishments isn’t in her comfort zone. It’s amazing because she rarely sees the things she does as accomplishments at all. Somehow, she’s unaware of what she manages to get done while juggling so much in her life. But we, her friends here on the island, insisted that today not go unmarked.
We’ve set one long, intimate table. We’ve laid out the sort of romantic and old-fashioned touches that she loves — blue damask cloth napkins, lace doilies, small votive candles stretched along the entire surface, tiny jars with delicate greenery strewn about, mismatched china, and scattered among it all, with great attention to the visual presentation, is the food we’ve all prepared.
We are all very excited to be doing this for her. She’s usually the one doing this for all of us. She’s mentioned a time or two how much it means to her when she gets to create special moments for those around her. She likes to make others feel that they are worth someone taking the time to create something special for them.
I mean, you know me, I do love to be celebrated…but also, days like today where I get to really think about someone else and create something wonderful for them feel just as heartwarming to me.
I had a thought while I was walking along the beach this morning, smiling at the people I passed— what if we all spent a little more time thinking about how to make someone’s seat at the table special?
It would, I imagine, ripple abundantly throughout the entire community as all good deeds seem to when done consistently and intentionally. After all, regardless of what my young author friend says, aren’t we all just looking for that special seat at the table? Don’t we all want to feel just a little bit special, just a touch accomplished, and most of all, seen by those around us?
I think that’s what seats at the table are for.
It’s a reminder to us to create the kind of moments my writer friend loves creating for others. It’s also an invitation for someone to notice how hard we work to make others feel amazing, and perhaps carve out a moment to pass that experience on to them.
It feels amazing to get a seat at the table… but it feels equally amazing to prepare a seat for someone else, doesn’t it?
Until next time,
—A Friend from Magnolia Isle
